Slow Cooker Lemon Self Saucing Pudding is a wonderfully warm and comforting dessert that is surprisingly easy to make in the slow cooker, with a soft lemon cake and a sweet sauce forming underneath as it cooks.
This easy dessert recipe makes a light cake batter that transforms into a lovely pudding with a bright lemon flavour. Made with lemon, sugar, cake batter and boiling water, it’s perfect for cosy evenings, family desserts, or whenever you’re craving a simple warm treat.
Originally published May 29, 2020. Updated March 13, 2026.
Why Make Self Saucing Pudding In The Slow Cooker?
In the winter time it is lovely to have a few go to desserts that you can whip up in no time that everyone loves. Self Saucing puddings definitely fit that bill and making them in the slow cooker is such an easy way to go.
Which Lemons Work Best In This Pudding?
This recipe uses so few ingredients and they are all pantry staples, if you grow your own lemons you might be able to make this one right now! There are many lemon varieties and some lend themselves to baking better than others.
Ideally you want to look out for Meyer lemons for baking. Regular lemons lack the sweetness of a Meyer and therefore can be quite acidic and sharp. I can have two people bake the same recipe with lemons and it tastes completely different depending on the lemons they use. So be mindful of that before you begin.
More Slow Cooker Dessert Recipes To Try
I love slow cooked self saucing puddings and have two others already on my website that are incredibly popular and delicious. Both can be made in either the slow cooker or oven.
I have a Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding and a Butterscotch Self Saucing Pudding. You can find the links to those recipes here on my dessert page.
How Long Does It Take To Cook This Self Saucing Pudding in the Slow Cooker?
Once you have made one of these desserts in your slow cooker you will be able to make them again and again. For the initial baking time I don’t suggest you leave it unattended too long, just to check the cooking time.
Depending on the size of your slow cooker and how hot it gets the cooking time can vary from 1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours. I find it takes around 2 hours in mine.
Making The Lemon Cake Batter And Sauce
The recipes for self saucing puddings are very similar, broken down into two steps. First is making the cake batter, then pouring a sugar mixture over that and then covering in boiling water.
In this case the cake batter is made up of very simple ingredients, pantry basics. In total for both the base and the topping I used three lemons, both the zest and the juice. I love lemon zest so find a way to add little extra in everything!
The colour of the sauce is at best a little insipid, it is a pale colour of sugar syrup, but it is packed full of lemon flavour and works perfectly with the cake batter, the kids tell me it all tastes amazing with ice cream so that is a win!
I cannot wait to hear what you think of this Slow Cooker Lemon Self Saucing Pudding. Remember to check on the sort of lemons you are using and keep a watch on the cooking time, the first time you make this recipe, as each Slow Cooker is different.
What Makes A Self Saucing Pudding?
A little bit of baking magic. You create the cake batter with self raising flour then pour the sauce ingredients on the TOP. During the cooking process the cake rises and the heavier sauce ingredients fall to the bottom of the pan.
Can You Reheat A Self Saucing Pudding?
Yes definitely, however it never looks quite as good as it does when fresh. This is because the sauce will congeal underneath the cake upon cooling. Best way to reheat is to microwave it and enjoy it with lashings of ice cream
Can You Freeze Self Saucing Pudding?
Yes, but again it won’t be as good as fresh, if you are planning on freezing it I would suggest making it in the oven. This way you can freeze it directly in the dish you bake it in
Why Is My Self Saucing Pudding Sauce Too Watery?
This can be caused by a number of things. Ideally you want to stand the dessert for at least 30 minutes after cooking to allow the sauce to thicken. Cornflour or custard powder can be added to the sauce before baking to ensure it thickens.
Can I Cook This Slow Cooker Pudding Recipe In The Oven?
Yes of course! Simply use a casserole dish with a lid or use aluminium foil to cover the dish and follow all the steps below. Heat oven to 180C Bake and cook for 40-45 minutes until the cake is cooked, test this with a fork.
Slow Cooker Lemon Self Saucing Pudding Recipe
The full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
Slow Cooker Lemon Self Saucing Pudding
Slow Cooker Lemon Self Saucing Pudding is an easy dessert with a soft lemon cake batter that cooks into a warm pudding with a sweet lemon sauce underneath.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 Cups Self Raising Flour, 260 grams
- 1/2 Cup Caster Sugar, 105 grams (fine white sugar, regular is fine)
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest
- 3/4 Cup Milk, 190 mls
- 50 grams Butter, melted
- 1 large Egg, lightly beaten
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, 30 mls
Sauce
- 1/2 Cup Sugar, 105 grams
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
- 2 Cups Boiling Water, 500 mls
- 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice, strained, 125 ml
- 2 teaspoons cornflour, 6 grams
Optional
- Icing Sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the slow cooker by coating the inside of the pan with cooking spray
- Turn on the kettle to boil water for the later step
- In a medium bowl add the self raising flour, caster sugar, and lemon zest and combine well
- Add to this milk, melted butter, lemon juice and the beaten egg and combine together gently but completely
- Spoon this cake mixture into the slow cooker pan and spread gently to coat the bottom of the pan
- Combine the second measure of sugar and lemon zest and sprinkle this over the cake batter
- In a jug or bowl combine the boiling water, lemon juice and cornflour and stir to combine
- Pour this over the sugar mixture
- Cover with the lid and cook on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours until the cake batter is cooked when you check with a knife.
- Turn off the slow cooker and allow the dessert to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken
- Serve warm dusted with icing sugar with ice cream
- Enjoy!
Notes
See above notes in the blog post for any questions.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 388Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 75mgCarbohydrates: 85gFiber: 3gSugar: 69gProtein: 4g
This nutrition calculation for Just Slow Cooker Recipes has been automated, please use your discretion with the calculation and use your own if unsure.
I Would Love To Hear Your Feedback
I hope you love this easy Slow Cooker Lemon Self Saucing Pudding as much as we do. It’s such a lovely warm dessert for cooler days and one I come back to again and again.
If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you in the comments below.
Also, if you enjoy this recipe, please leave a ⭐ rating in the recipe card above. Your feedback helps other readers and really supports my recipes.
Thank you so much for visiting and taking the time to try this recipe. I hope you find plenty of slow cooker inspiration here on my blog.
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Happy cooking!
Anna
Do you leave the lid on or off once it’s cooked, to allow the sauce to thicken? Trying it tomorrow!! 💖 lemons. Thanks, Jayne
I leave it on ☺️